FLEMINGTON — The first anniversary of the selection of a redeveloper for the circa-1877 Union Hotel has passed without ceremony; the Main Street landmark is unimproved and under the same owners.

But late this month or early next month may see a closing on the property, with ownership passing from John Blanos, Ken Wappell and Joseph Barra to Cirquelle LLC.

In February Cirquelle gave Borough Council a timeline calling for completing the purchase in April. It planned to submit a site plan to the Planning Board in November 2012.

Mayor Erica Edwards, who spearheaded the drive to find a redeveloper for the Union Hotel, has referred press inquiries about the project’s progress to Councilman Phil Greiner, who is council’s liaison to the Planning Board and who serves on the panel that negotiated the redevelopment agreement that was signed last fall.

Although the redevelopment team was presented publicly as Joe LoPiccolo, Flemington-based planner Frank Banisch and Flemington restaurateur Matt McPherson, the redevelopment agreement was with Cirquelle LLC, which consists of Joe LoPiccolo and his wife. Banisch is technically a consultant and McPherson will address the culinary needs of the hotel.

Today, LoPiccolo said the closing is expected late in April or early in May.

Greiner believes that when LoPiccolo learned he was not going to be able to buy Bensi restaurant’s liquor license “for a reasonable price, that seemed to slow things down. So Cirquelle looked at an expansion as one way to qualify for a license.”

Last fall it was reported that Cirquelle had made a deal with Flemington Furs to build 75 more hotel rooms onto the back of the hotel while leaving parking space beneath for the fur retailer’s customers. With a total of 100 rooms, the hotel would qualify for a new liquor license. Cirquelle has not yet committed to that plan.

The redevelopment plan did not specify how many rooms the hotel would contain, said Greiner. It just gave a range. Nor did it contain any deadlines, he said.

While Cirquelle has been weighing its options, the Business Improvement District launched an economic study by the Strategic Advisory Group. “They undertook this last year,” said Greiner, “and it’s a comprehensive study; it’s not just about the Union Hotel. It’s about the whole borough — what kind of businesses, what kind of strategic approach we might want to take to further the economic redevelopment.”

Greiner said that study is due out sometime in May and it will include “a recommendation about the Union Hotel and whether they think they can support the 100-room size. That will probably be a fairly significant finding that will affect how these guys decide to go forward.”